Suddenly, everybody seems to be talking to their computers, TVs and mobile gadgets.

Voice command software has been around for decades. The software currently sold as Dragon NaturallySpeaking by Nuance had its origins in a 1982 prototype -- more than three decades ago -- and as consumer product in 1997.

Since then, voice command features have emerged here and there, often ignored. For example, the AppleOS X features built-in voice command and dictation capability, but it’s rarely used.

Voice command has been popular with a minority of technical users and power users, as well as some professions (such as writers using dictation). I've used it myself on occasion. But for average users, voice command didn't really register until Google and Apple started building it into their mobile operating systems, first iOS's Siri in late 2011 and Android's Google Now and Voice Search in the summer of 2012 (both Siri and Google Now and Google Voice Search existed in previous products used by a relatively low number of users).

Despite initial promise, both these products failed to live up to their promise. Siri, for example, started out with a lot of hype and attention, but suffered from server delays and outages and general unreliability. Many users who started using Siri in the early days after iOS integration gave up on it.

Likewise, Google Now and Voice Search is very good, but Google hadn't done a good job making it obviously available.

In both the cases of Siri and Google Now/Google Voice Search, the use of these powerful features wasn't so convenient, obvious or necessary that a real majority of users would take advantage.

Microsoft released its long-awaited Xbox One product Nov. 22, the first major new Xbox product since the Xbox 360 shipped exactly eight years before.

The new Xbox One has far better hardware performance and software and service options than the old Xbox. But one of the biggest changes is truly useful voice command. Now you can say "Xbox: on" to turn it on, or "Xbox: Skype Steve" to make a video call to Steve through your TV.

Importantly, the Xbox One's voice prompt is "always listening." This is important to drive usage and discovery. For example, I've triggered it several times by just having conversations in the room about the Xbox One. Just saying the word "Xbox" changes the screen to present voice command options.

One comical problem with Xbox One's voice command feature is that TV commercials advertising those features trigger events on the Xboxes of people who already have it.

(Note that Xbox One commands are "locked" to the region, so they only work in some countries and command features vary from one language to the next.)

Still, the most interesting thing about Xbox One voice command is that it's genuinely the fastest and easiest way to do a long list of actions and its use is encouraged by the console's design. Also: A living room is probably the most comfortable place to use voice commands (which can be socially awkward in public places with a phone, or on a PC in the office).

Millions of people who never used voice commands before will start using it thanks to the Xbox One.

Microsoft's console-gaming rival, Sony, shipped its PlayStation 4 earlier this month, and the console also supports voice commands. However, the range of things you can do with voice on the PS4 is very limited compared with Xbox One. You can "take screenshot," "log in" or say "power" to shut the machine off. You can also launch a game by saying its title.

Sony promises more voice command support in the future.

Google

Google this week announced a free extension for its Chrome browser that brings an Xbox One-like "always listening" search command to Google Search for Chrome users with Windows, OS X and those using Chromebooks.

It doesn't record or capture anything you say except the magic words "Ok, Google," which tells the extension to listen for your search command.

After installing the extension (which I predict will ship natively in future versions of Chrome), users see a gray microphone inside the search box on the main Google Search page, with the words "Say 'Ok Google'" next to it.

Chrome users will probably use this because Google Search will give them a conspicuous reminder every time they visit the site.

Google also made Voice Search and Google Now more visible and inviting in the new version of Android, called KitKat.

Now, the main default screen has an "always listening" feature with a search box at the top. Saying "Ok, Google" launches the search.

Unlike the Moto X, which is truly always listening, even when the phone is in sleep mode, KitKat's is in "always listening" mode only when the home screen or Google Now is on the screen.

Swiping from the home screen to the left in KitKat brings you to Google Now, which preemptively shows "cards" based in part on past searches.

Google Voice Search has also been improved with better contextual understanding. For example, you can say "Where is Big Ben," and after it tells you, the questions "Where is it" and "how hold is it" are properly answered because Voice Search remembers the subject you're asking about.

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